ADVICE PLEASE!

valerossi

Friday i was out doing a bit of a walk round on one of my permissions with the shotgun and the dogs. As i hadn't been home in a while i was more interested in gauging what the rabbit and fox population was like more then shooting at anything, so i was making my way up the land quietly, away in my own world when a ton of lead came flying through the hedge in front of me, i didn't no whether to return fire or dig a trench. I let a roar at the C**T and over the gate popped a young lad who's father i new well. After eating he i called my loyal dogs back a field away:mad:. We got talking and he just got the 12g that day and he's clueless i mean 0 experience. As his dad has passed i offered to show him a few things beginning with safety:).
Why i'm posting is i need advice because i find i'm getting carried way with lead and swing when he cant hit stationary ground game. Anyone with some advice on how to approach this or anyone new to shooting who found any info they learned particularly useful?
I'v covered ammo well i told him 30/32 gram 6's just as an all rounder and seasons. Tomorrow i'm taking him out to cover shouldering and just getting him comfortable with the gun.

ANY ADVICE WELCOME. THANKS!

Boiled-egg

Sounds to me that a very good brief on what is a safe back stop along with a demonstration is required. On the next outting make him watch you and talk him through what you are doing. Let him bring his gun but just to get used to carrying and crossing obstacles safely. I wouldn't be letting him engage any targets on the next trip.But on the trip after you leave your gun behind and supervise him. He will learn the basics quickly.

EWQuinn

All safety procedures come first. Clear the gun, load, unload, how to carry, how to cross obstacles safely, etc.

Agree with Boilded Egg, take him out to the field and show him how you do it, how to carry the gun, how to work with dogs, etc.

I don't know what facilities you have, or rules on "target shooting". But target shooting is one way to practice shooting.
I would start him shooting at targets, 1st pattern the gun on paper at a reasonable range and show him what it looks like. Have him shoot some paper a couple times for pattern. Then switch to clays, first near, then far, basics of lead & follow through. Will they let you throw some clays in the fields there? Good luck.

LIFFY FISHING

How did he manage to get a licence without a proficency course? Shurley he had to do one for a first firearm, its the law! & safety is well covered during one of these courses.

Cass

LIFFY FISHING wrote: »

......... & safety is well covered during one of these courses.

Huge difference between standing around one lad who is telling you what to do and being out in the filed on your own, with adrenaline pumping, and excited by the whole thing.

A clear reason why i think half the "proficiency courses" are a joke.

Without going into that. As said above teach him about backstops/danger area, line of sight, not shooting into hedges/bushes or any other cover where he cannot see what he is shooting at. IOW if you cannot see it & identify it, you don't shoot.

Give him some tips on lead but don't give him a number. Too many young lads are told to give X amount of lead based on the shooter giving the advice. However the lead you use may not work for him. The advice on making him understand the patterning of his gun is good. Once he understands what each cartridge does, effective range, etc he will be better able to judge whether to take a shot or not.

The main thing to focus on, and it was covered above is safety. Not where to shoot, but on the actual safety of handling the gun. Never cross a gate with a loaded firearm, keep the safety on/or unloaded when not intending to shoot. Keep the gun pointed in a safe direction (usually at the ground) when not being used. Never, EVER swing with the gun raised. Know where others are in relation to his position. So if a lad is walking beside him to his right he does not swing to the right after a bird or rabbit. Again muzzle sweeping.


Lastly do it bit by bit. Try not to overwhelm him on the first day. Also make it effective, and not like a classroom. Otherwise the shooting becomes a chore.

valerossi

Thanks lads very appreciated.
I covered some safety the day he near put a set of 5's in my side. What i though him was something my father always though me and my brothers which is the safety is only off as the stock sits into your shoulder and the stock is only on your shoulder we firing and its back on before it leaves the shoulder. It was becoming second nature to him as we finished.
He has fixed chokes and when i mentioned pattern his face went blank so that's a few lessons away:)
Clay target is an excellent idea the field we were in would be great for that no one in ear shot of the place, thank god.
I will definitely be covering safe carriage and discharge thanks. I'm taking notes:)
Thanks again.

valerossi

LIFFY FISHING wrote: »

How did he manage to get a licence without a proficency course? Shurley he had to do one for a first firearm, its the law! & safety is well covered during one of these courses.

To be honest that safety course is not great because again they get the gun its all out the window if your waiting any length. Ideally with the right tutor and pupil its great but in the real world all you have is a young lad drooling over the thoughts of getting the gun.

johnk123

The best way by far is by being out in the field with someone experienced. I remember learning with my dad, first walking beside him with an empty gun but just copying him.. all mentioned above about obstacles etc. It's the best way and you get into the habit of doing everything right. Once you've got that into his head he'll hopefully enjoy a safe and happy life of shooting.


I learned over a few years and such, found the proficiency course a waste of time and money. I do think it is a good thing though, for someone who wants to get into shooting but has no family members or friends to learn from, then it is a great thing and backstops and handling the gun etc are extremely important.

I remember being at a friends house in the west of the country just before christmas last year for a couple of days shooting. After one of the days we were in his house when he offered another (non shooting) friend to experience his first shot. He put one cartridge in and let him shoot.. after the fact, it's as if he forget everything my mate had told him.... I guess the point I'm trying to make is that we are all so used to shooting and being safe in the field is second nature to most. Things like crossing obstacles etc are all done so in a habitual manner which we have come to learn over years of shooting etc. It's hard to 'teach' that kind of thing in two hours.....

This friend of yours will thank you after the fact. An hour spent with you walking around the land will be far more valuable than anything else. Fair play to you for doing so.... (Although I suppose it's in your interest if you ever want to feel safe walking that land again!!!)

valerossi

Brought him out for near six hours today, in fairness he really took on board what i mentioned about safe handling and discharge. By the end of the day allot was nearly second nature for him i suppose i caught him early enough or he did me! I even let him shoot paper targets at the end of the day, its actually a great way to explain chokes, patterns at various distances and effective range for different ammo so thanks for that tip.
Tomorrow more target practice and if i think he can hit his target we'l take a bunny or two. Might even take him clay shooting if he's safe enough.

Thanks again lads!

cookimonster

All good advice here, but after the safety has been established, get him onto the basics. Eye dominancy, stance, gun hold and gun mount are the fundamentals.
Try and get him behind a trap. Start with away targets going straight out to about 4 metres high. Get him to stand directly behind the actual trap. Start with him identifying the target, then pointing at the target, this will help establish gun hold and swing to target. Dry fire and then move on to single barrel shooting. Get him busting clays and then get him busting clays consistently before moving him back one to two paces at a time. If he begins to strugle move forward slightly.
As he improves start adding in angles, change heights and if circumstances allow do the risers,droppers and crossers.
From my own experience bring him pigeon shooting over decoys 25-30m out this will help him develop his swing, lead etc and boost his self confidence when those pigeons start to tumble.

EWQuinn

Lots of good advice here. Bringing a young shooter and hunter into the sport the right way, a very worthwhile venture, keep up the great work. Maybe someday he can help you with your computer

valerossi

Brought him out clay shooting today, thankfully he was far more comfortable than yesterday. He's coming along quickly I noticed he is no longer waiting for the bang and kick when he's pulling the trigger and is now more focused on the target. All in all he is doing well he was impressive clay shooting he's seems to lead naturally and is very enthusiastic about it all which is great.

I managed to sign him up to a club today he'll learn allot their and in return all he has to do is a little game bird and pen maintenance (if only he new what he had coming:)). Thought it was best because if he hung around much more with me he'd be smoking 40 a day and dinking far to much:)!

Thanks again lads for your help with the next generation of field wonderer.